


The Seraph of Sister Imperious

by thesystemmates



Category: Original Work
Genre: Ableism, Child Abuse, Nonverbal Character, Nonverbal Communication, Original work - Freeform, non binary character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 21:44:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7138487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesystemmates/pseuds/thesystemmates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nem was orphaned before they could form coherent thoughts. The orphanage was all that was known to them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sister Imperious Orphanage

Sister Imperious’ Orphanage was not a place one would want to end up having to endure life in. The Sisters were austere and insouciant, denying to grant attention to what they deemed to be irrelevant, despite its importance to the children. Food was closely rationed, though it had no reason to be, as the foreboding Gargoyles claimed that the children would become gluttonous and corpulent were they to properly feed them and rules were strictly enforced with punishment in excess. If a child were to dare break the tenets of the institution, they would be isolated for long periods of time, whipped, or have to endure a number of other abuses. Nem was orphaned before they could form coherent thoughts. The orphanage was all that was known to them. Due to this, they saw adults as grim ethereal beings that only bring pain. Whenever children were made to fast as punishment, they would always be the one to sneak the child food, when the younger children had nightmares, they would comfort them until they went back to sleep. The other children looked up to them as a harbinger of hope and determination, despite their inability to speak verbally. The nuns refused to teach Nem sign language, as they believed it below them to give one child alternate access to language and they claimed that they were simply slothful and contemptuous. They paid dearly for their disability, but it only further encouraged the children to protect and rally behind them. The children used writing as a means of communication with them until they developed a dactylology of their own. This proved to aid in the ability of conversing with the Herald of Sister Imperious; moreover, it allowed the children to confer over prohibited topics in the privacy of their rooms without alerting the Sisters. This being something the children took great advantage of. In the presence of the Oppressive Gaze, the children were seen and unheard as they were conditioned to do; however, the moment the women are blind to the children, they descant the ills that plague them and the possible solutions. Despite having a devoted leader, the children still lacked structure. This lead Nem to divide the children into groups of specialty, the Thieves, the Saboteurs, the Cooks, the Medics, the Nurses, the Tailors, and the Undetermined. Each category had one or more responsibilities and a leader of their own, the leader of them as a whole being Nem. The heads of each group were as follows, Nem as the head of Thieves, Alva as head of Saboteurs, Aben as head of Cooks, Aline as head of Medics, Rahim as head of Nurses, Oma as head of tailoring, and Lafayette as head of Undetermined. Each week there was a counsel meeting in the room of Thieves, Nem’s shared lodgings, where all of the leaders would convene.


	2. Summit

The contention reached its peak on the sixth day of Oma’s compulsory fast. The Sisters had become mindful of the disparity in the food pantry, causing the Crows to patrol the vicinity. Oma had always been a sickly girl and the Sisters were acutely aware of this fact. The women had become suspicious of the children, and in order to keep them in line, the Vultures elected the weakest link in the coterie. Her vitality was waning fast; something had to be done. That night, after the Crones finished their rounds, Ellsworth gave the signal. The children gathered in the center of their accommodation. A deadly calm fell upon the room. All eyes were on Nem, awaiting the commencement of the assembly.  
“The line has been crossed,” they signed. “Action must be taken against the tyrants that afflict us.”  
“What would you have us do?” Aline inquired.  
There was a pause, as Nem contemplated. A stoic expression crossed their face. It had become apparent that there were no lenient solutions to the hardship. They sigh heavily.  
“Tomorrow, Junius, Alva, Oren, and I will go to fetch the firewood. We will stir a commotion outside in order to catch the Sisters’ attention. When they begin toward the door, Beryl and Lafayette are to follow quietly behind, while Cedar and Evert head into the cellar and open the top window. Whenever the crones walk outside, Beryl and Lafayette will lock the door and deadbolt behind them and my group will slip into the cellar window, locking it behind us.”  
“What then?” Junius queried.  
“We survive the winter.” They replied.  
The room stopped. Eyes were darting back and forth. Whispers were exchanged. The children trembled at the thought of the coup, but they did not question Nem. They knew it was the only option.


	3. Firewood

“Why don’t you make yourselves useful and collect wood for the fire.” Sister Thora demanded shrilly.  
“Yes, sister,” replied Alva as reverentially as she could muster.  
While Thora was not looking, Nem gave the signal to commence the plot. The children involved in the central plan set in motion, while the others tried their hardest not to look suspicious. Nem’s division gathered as much firewood as they could carry and deposited it in the cellar, and then they proceeded to the second course of action. The children then gathered large stones and proceeded to hurl them toward the door of the orphanage. Nothing happened at first, Nem began to doubt their strategy, nearly going into a panic. The others looked at them for direction. Knowing that the others were depending upon the smooth execution of their design filled Nem with determination. They signed for the barrage to continue. There was no hesitation. As the doors opened, the children scattered, running toward the cellar window. As Sister Imperious, Thora, and Solum stepped into the freshly fallen snow of mid January, the heavy portal closed behind them and locked securely. In a fraction of a second, Sister Imperious whipped around in a fury. She attempted to open the door to no avail.  
“Open this door this very instant you ungrateful cretins.” she raged, rapping on the door insistently. “I swear to you, the very moment I am able to enter, you are all to be fasting for a fortnight.”  
Some of the more mild mannered children feared that the Sisters would punish them beyond what they had experienced before. They begged to be able to allow them entrance and grovel for forgiveness, but were refused. Nem had chosen their aides with their individual strength of will in mind. This foresight paid off. Nem, Junius, Alva, and Oren had returned to the main foyer, leaving the cellar window securely locked. The commotion ended at once, as they stood at attention.  
“Send the distraught to their rooms for now. The rest, help us build a fire, tonight we eat well.”


	4. Oma

Oma did not have the strength to journey to the dining room, so Nem brought her portion to her. At the sight of a hearty stew, her dull eyes widened.  
“How did you get that? I thought the Sisters were too vigilant for even you to slip past them this time.” She commented, a quizzical expression crossing her face.  
After helping Oma sit up and setting up a tray for the bowl to set on.  
“It doesn’t matter how, now eat.” They instructed.  
Oma obeyed, despite the fear of retribution. In a matter of minutes, she had an empty bowl and a peaceful expression graced her frail features.  
“Now, get to sleep. You need to regain your strength.” She was ordered. She complied graciously, thanking them many times. Nem and three other compatriots volunteered to make certain that every child was well throughout the night and all was accounted for. Nem went to analyze Oma’s condition, checking her pulse and breathing. Once satisfied, they recalled that the banging on the door had stop quite a while ago. The window across the room peered onto the front lawn. Unable to go without satiating the curiosity building within, they gazed out of the window. To see exactly what was to be expected. Their determination had paid off.


End file.
